The purpose of religious art

LEARNING OBJECTIVE – To consider the various purposes of religious art.

By the end of the lesson:All must – be able to identify some purposes of religious art.Most should – be able to identify changes in religious art over time.Some could – make judgements on controversial religious art.

KEY QUESTIONS

• What are the various purposes of religious art?

• Has the purpose of religious art changed over the centuries?

• Are there some purposes of religious art which are unacceptable?

• Which religious art could be considered controversial?

StarterWhat do you consider to be the purpose of religious art?

• To represent the Divine• To represent religious ideas other than the divine

(particularly important in some religions e.g. Islam)• To inspire awe and wonder• To use in church worship e.g. music, dance• To use in private worship e.g. stations of the cross or icons• For didactic purposes, i.e. to teach or instruct e.g. stained

glass• For decorative purposes• For religious propaganda• To encourage religious people to think about their faith and

beliefs

Are all of these purposes of religious art acceptable?

Task one – Text bookRead pages 1-14 in “Christian Art – A Very Short Introduction” and give written answers to the following questions.

1. Where can Christian art be found and what types of art can be seen? (P.2)

2. Why was the existence of Christian art not inevitable? Where did Christianity eventually take its influence from? Refer to Judaism in your answer. (P.3)

3. Where is the first Christian art to be found and what type of art can be found? (P.4-6)

4. Why and how did the character of Christian art change in 313? (P.6)

5. How was the Christian Art of this period influenced by imperial imagery? (P7-9)

6. Explain the importance and development of icons. (P.9-14)

1. How can religious art educate people?

This 17th century window comes from University College, Oxford.

What story is it telling?

Why would pictures and windows have been important for Christians at that time?

Task two – Discussion points

2. How can religious art be used for propaganda?

What is propaganda?

Information to assist or damage a cause.

How was it used in the past?

How is it used today?

How can religious propaganda be both positive and negative? 16th Century - The Doom, St Peter's Church, Wenhaston,

Suffolk

3. How can religious art express personal faith?

What is this picture about?

What may it say about someone’s faith?

How may it encourage people in their faith?

How may a non believer view this picture?

4. How can religious art inspire an audience?

How do you think that Christians would feel if they saw this picture?

What do you think the artist was trying to say?

Do you think this is an appropriate piece of Christian art?

The creation of Adam by Michelangelo (From the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel)

Task three

Over the next three slides we are going to look at religious art which is not conventional, and could be considered by some as controversial. The picture you have just considered also fits into the category of ‘controversial’.

For each picture consider:• The meaning of the picture• Why you think the artist chose to paint the

picture as he/she did• Whether you think that the picture is

controversial• Whether you like the picture

Servant to the World. Created by artist Lars Justinen

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, former British PM Tony Blair, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan,Bin Laden, George Bush, Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India & Kim Jong-il, leader of North Korea.

Undefeated by Stephen

Sawyer

Blessed Art Thou by Kate

Kretz

Task four - StoryMuhammad cartoon row intensifies

Newspapers across Europe have reprinted caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to show support for a Danish paper whose cartoons have sparked Muslim outrage. Seven publications in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain all carried some of the drawings. Their publication in Denmark led Arab nations to protest. Islamic tradition bans depictions of the Prophet. The owner of one of the papers to reprint - France Soir - has now sacked its managing editor over the matter. The cartoons have sparked diplomatic sanctions and death threats in some Arab nations, while media watchdogs have defended publication of the images in the name of press freedom. Reporters Without Borders said the reaction in the Arab world "betrays a lack of understanding" of press freedom as "an essential accomplishment of democracy." Should the newspapers have printed pictures that they knew would

offend Muslims?

Plenary

Freedom of expression means that any art should be allowed,

regardless of whether it offends people.

All controversial religious art should be banned as it offends religious people and mocks their religion.

Which of these views do you agree with? Use ideas from the pictures we have looked at today.

Some controversial religious art is

acceptable and some is not. It depends on the religion or whether the

art is meant to be funny or serious.